Riding saddle



RIDING SADDLE Filed June 19, 1953 W M V Patented July 16, 1935 UNITEDS TATES .PATENT OFFECE l o r 1 L Y 2,008,548 RIDING' SAI'JDLE A Joseph" AV.- Greene,` Louisville, Ky.` v spontanen .rune 19, issafseial No. 676,415

9 claims'. (o1. sli-44) This invention relates to .riding saddlesofA the S. In carrying out the invention, the stirrups I types `commonly used Aon, horses and like aniare connected to opposite ends of the girth 2 mals. These saddles heretofore havejbeen pro'- through stirrup supportingstraps or end memvided with stirrups permanenidysecured to oppobers 3, 4which are preferably slidably connected 5 site sides of the saddle, and with a girth extendto andV supported by the saddle. When applied .5

ing around the belly of the horse from one side; to the saddle, each of the straps 3 may, if desired, of the saddle to the other Vside thereof. In se extend from its corresponding stirrup to the ad-' curing the saddle, it is desirable to tighten the jacent end of the girth with its intervening porgirth sufficiently to prevent the saddle either from tion slidably connected to the saddle. Preferably,

101 turning when any weight is placed on either stir however, each end rnember or strap is arranged to l0;

rup or from slipping rearwardly `or forwardly extend 'from its corresponding stirrup slidably along the body of the horse. A-girth tightY enough through the body` ofthe saddle to the' opposite to prevent turning has the disadvantage not only end of the girth.- In order to permit the straps of causing considerable discomfort tothe horse.' to move relatively to the saddle, aback member 15 but ofv permitting backwardor forward movement 4 composed of a stiff material such as metal is 15 of the saddle relatively tothe horse unless'tightarranged within the body of the saddle, preferened to the extreme. Furthermore, becauseof ably between the conventional pad (not shown) this discomfort, a horse being saddled will often and the seat proper. This back member is pro hold its breath and tense its muscles while the vided with grooves 5 through which thestraps 3 20. girth is being tightened, thus making the girth pass. If desired, the grooves 5 may be made to 20 appear tight, when, as amatter of fact, it is dancross each other so as to bring the stirrups inr gerously loose. thesame relative position on oppositepsides of The principal object or" this invention is to overthe; saddle instead of the ofteset positions shown. come the foregoing objections by providing` a The outer ends of the straps 3 maybe permasaddle with a girth which, when weight is applied nently or adjustably secured to the stirrup, but 25 to either or both stirrups, will be automatically their inner ends preferably are adjustably secured tightened suiiiciently to prevent turning'although to the girth in any suitable manner as by the normally secured loosely enough to prevent disbuckles 6. `Ihese straps are provided on the stircomfort. l rup side. of the` grooved member l with stopping v A further Obje iS t0 provide means for loosenblocks 1 and on the girth side of said member 30 ing the girth after the weight on the stirwith similar blocks 8, these blocks being arranged rups is removed or diminished. to permit limited movement of the straps rela- Generally stated, the invention consists in contively to the saddle. The blocks l' function as a necting the ends of the girth to the stirrups means for holding the straps when the girth is 35 through Suitable straps and sldably supporting being connectedtheretaand thus permit the girth 35 the straps so that w-hen Weight is applied to one to be snugly iitted or tightened manually as destirrup, (or both), the corresponding strap will sired. Blocks l also limit the girth loosening move in a direction such as to pull the girth more movement after the girth has been automatically tightly about the horse'. tightened. The blocks 8 function as a means for The invention is illustrated in the accompanylimiting the girth tightening movement of the 40 ing drawing, wherein: straps.

Figure l is a partly broken plan View of an It will now be evident that the saddle may be English riding saddle: to which the invention is secured to a horse simply by placing it upon applied; the back thereof and connecting the inner ends l5 Figure 2 is a section along line 2-2 of Figof the straps or end members 3 to opposite ends 45 ure 1; of the girth 2. In making these connections the Figure 3 is a perspective showing the relation straps 3 are manually pulled through the memand arrangement of the girth and stirrups; and ber 4 until the blocks l are brought into en- Figures 4 and 5 are fragmentary views of the gagement therewith. The connections are then different parts of the connection between the adjusted by means of the buckles 6 to the point 50 girth and stirrups. where the girth ts snugly against the belly of the The invention may be applied to various types horse without necessarily being tight enough to of saddles, and is illustrated in the drawing as cause any substantial discomfort to the horse. As applied to the conventional English riding saddle soon as the rider engages one foot in either of the having a pommel P, cantle C, jockey J, and skirt,V stirrups and places his weight thereon, the en- 55 gaged stirrup will be forced downward, pulling the strap 3 through the saddle and thus tightening the girth suiciently to prevent the saddle from turning. If the rider is heavy enough, this movement of the strap will bring the block 8 into engagement with the member 4 and thus prevent the girth from becoming any tighter. When the rider is seated on the saddle and the weight removed from the stirrups, the girth will again be brought to its original, relatively loose position by the breathing movement of the horse, such position being determined, of course,vby the block '1. The return of the strap 3 to the loose position after it has been tightened may, if desired, be accomplished automatically. To this end a spring 9 is interposed between the member 4 and the block 3. The spring 9 is arranged to be compressed between the block 8 and the grooved member 4 when Weight is applied to the corresponding stirrup so that it will return the strap 3 to its original loose position when the weight is removed from the stirrup.

It may be pointed out that a loose girth not only prevents discomfort but permits the muscles of the horse during its movement, to slide back and forth under the girth. This has the advantage of preventing the muscles from working against the edge of the girth and thus moving the saddle either forward or rearward, a result likely to occur unless the girth is made extremely tight.`

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A riding saddle having a stirrup supporting member which is adapted for connection to a girth and means for slidably connecting said member between the stirrup and the girth to the saddle.

2. A riding saddle having a stirrup supporting member slidably connected thereto and means for limiting the movement of said member relatively to said saddle.

3. A riding saddle having a stirrup supporting member slidably connected thereto to permit movement of the member in one direction relatively to the saddle when weight is applied to the stirrup, and means for moving said member toward its original position when Weight is reduced 4. A combination with a back member adapted to be xedly secured upon a riding saddle, of means slidably secured to said member, said means being arranged on one side of said memberv `ber in both directions.

to support a stirrup and on the other side to engage a girth.

5. In combination with a riding saddle having j a stirrup on each side thereof, of a girth, stirrup supporting means extending from a stirrup on one side of the saddle slidably through the saddle to the end of the girth on the opposite side of the saddle and stirrup supporting means extending from the other stirrup slidably through the saddle to the other end of saidgirth.`

6. A riding saddle having an end memberconnected thereto, one end of which is adapted for connection to a girth, said member being arranged for movement in opposite directions relatively to the saddle respectively to tighten and loosen the girth, and a stirrup connected to said member so as to eifect a girth tightening move- -thereoi when weight isapplied to the stirrup, and

means for limiting the movement of said member in one direction. y y

8. A riding saddle having an end member connected thereto, one end of .which is adapted for connection to a girth, said member being ar-A ranged ior movement in opposite directions relatively to the saddle respectively to tighten and loosen the girth, a stirrup connected to said member so as to eifect a girth tightening movement thereof when weight is applied to the stirrup, and means for limiting the movement of said mem- 9. A riding saddle having an end member connected thereto, one end of which is a-dapted for connection to a girth, said member being arranged for movement in opposite directions relatively to the saddle respectively to tighten'and loosen the girth, a stirrup connected to said member so as to effect a girth tightening movement thereof when weight is applied to the stirrup, and

means for `resiliently opposing the girth tightening movement of said member.

JOSEPH A. GREENE. 

